Scarlet
by psychodramabeautyfish
Summary: post War of the Scars. Vancha and Gannen dribble.


Scarlet

"Vancha no…" Gannen pleaded, watching his brother crouching over the unconscious human.

He hadn't played any part in Vancha's hunting, just tagged after his older brother, preferring not to be left alone in a company of vampires.

He'd winced as Vancha knocked the man out, moaning quietly to himself at what Vancha was doing.

Vancha ignored him, cutting the man's leg and sucking out the red liquid.

Gannen simply watched, becoming more and more aware of his own hunger as he did. But Gannen wouldn't dare hunt for himself anymore, not with his brother always two feet behind him. It was impossible for Gannen to sneak off even for an hour, and within an all vampire company, he was forbidden to kill.

Vancha had tried convincing him to drink several times, but he couldn't do it. He couldn't drink from a human like that, a living human who would then be left to recover and carry on with their life. If he drank, he'd do it his way. The Vampaneze way, like he'd done for centuries. The vampires laughed at him about it, tormented him even but Gannen didn't care. He hadn't expected anything less; the only Vampaneze amongst a group of Vampires was like a lone mouse among a group of cats.

Vancha finished, turning to Gannen.

"Your turn." He said, rocking back on his heels.

Gannen backed up a few steps, glaring.

"Go on." Said Vancha in a don't-mess-with-me voice.

"No."

The Vampire Prince sighed. It was a sigh that conveyed the sentence 'here we go again' very well.

"Gannen just do it."

"No!"

"You're making yourself sick."

"No."

"You'll wind up dead."

"No."

"Gannen." His brother growled, narrowing his eyes.

Gannen gave Vancha his best glare, which didn't work very well.

He could smell it. He could see it. Everything inside of him was crying out for the crimson liquid. There was nothing more he wanted to do then shove past Vancha and drain this human dry. But he'd never get past Vancha, especially not in this weakened state.

As he always did in this situation, for a few brief moments, he nearly did what Vancha told him to. Drink. From a living human. Just a little bit, and then they could find someone else if they had to. Gannen would survive…

But he couldn't. His pride wouldn't let him. Gannen would rather face death then commit such a shameful act.

"No Vancha. Get over it."

He expected another sigh. What he got was a slap across the face from what felt like solid rock.

Normally he would have staggered, but at this moment in time he was flung backwards onto the ground.

"Gannen Harst!" Vancha roared with an authority that probably worked on everyone else. "Get over there and drink before I pour the stuff down you throat!"

It took a few seconds for Gannen's vision to stop whirling. There were tears of anger in his red eyes.

"Get stuffed…" he hissed, blinking rapidly to get rid of the tears.

He shut his eyes and braced himself for another blow, but instead there was a thump as Vancha sat down beside him, head in his hands.

"Charna's guts… I never thought I'd see this argument this way around…" he muttered.

Gannen silently agreed.

Centuries ago, it had been the other way around. Gannen had screamed, shouted, pleaded, begged, threatened and tried to force Vancha to drink from a kill.

But they were both as stubborn as each other. Vancha could stand up to anyone, Gannen had often been called spineless – but they weren't afraid to square up to each other.

Vancha couldn't kill to feed, and Gannen couldn't feed without killing.

"Gannen please…"

It was so quiet the Vampaneze nearly missed it. Vancha was pleading with him! Gannen didn't know what to think. He was amazed that Vancha would resort to begging, but at the same time he felt a sense of triumph.

"Gannen, please let it go. You'll die if you don't. Please Gannen I don't want to loose you… I don't want you to die… Gannen…"

"Stop bleating my name like that, it's so irritating!" Gannen snorted. "See what it feels like?" he said scornfully, folding his arms. "I begged and pleaded with you all those years ago, but you didn't hear any of it. You never thought about the fact I didn't want to loose you, my brother."

He got shakily to his feet. He looked back at his brother and for a long while they just stared at each other – Vancha hoping, Gannen glaring.

"Gannen? Please?"

There was another pause.

"Never."

Gannen spat contemptuously at the unconscious human, before turning and stalking back into the trees, leaving Vancha behind.

He wasn't afraid of death.


End file.
